Ugandan police officer, driver arrested in Lake Victoria
In this past photo, fishermen in Lake Victoria demonstrate against harassment by Uganda officials.
A Ugandan police officer and a driver have been arrested in Usenge, Siaya County and will be charged with robbery and being in the country illegally.
The two have been identified as Sgt Biryiomomaisho Adonia (40)- a Ugandan Police Defence Force Officer (UPDF) and Kulobone Jamal (28)- a driver at the Ugandan Revenue Authority.
According to a police report, the two are alleged to have been involved in robbing fishermen off their boats in Lake Victoria after trespassing into the Kenya waters.
“Port Victoria Coast guard officers under the command of CI Edwin Angaya were on patrol within Lake Victoria Kenyan waters, when they received complaint from one Polycap Baraza- chairman Bumbe beach that Uganda officials were harassing Kenyan fishermen one nautical mile from Honge Beach in Kenyan waters,” read the police report.
The report further stated that, while within the Kenyan territory, the suspects arrested eight fishermen and confiscated their boats. But the eight fishermen were rescurd by Coast Gaurd officers.
The two suspects have been handed over to the Port Victoria Police Station are expected to be arraigned on Tuesday.
The arrest of the two officials comes at a time fishermen from Kenya have complained of harassment from armed security officers who confiscate their boats and fishing gear, claiming they had crossed to the Ugandan side of Lake Victoria.
The fishermen have called on the government to consider issuing a license that will allow them to operate anywhere within the lake.
“With the license, we will work in harmony with our neighbours. The lake is a natural resource for the three countries. The fish in the water have no boundaries and swim freely,” said Mr Solomon Oguda from Wich Lum Beach in Siaya County.
He added: “As fishermen from Kenya, we are tired of the harassment. The government does not seem to care about our plight.”
In February this year, Mr Kennedy Omondi 39 from Kenya was arrested and detained in Uganda for two weeks and the family was forced to raise Sh100,000 to bail him from custody.
Some fishermen have also abandoned the business, citing the constant frustrations.
“Fishing is no longer the trade it used to be. The drastic decline of the fish population and the frustrations have pushed some of us out of business. It is better than constantly working under pressure and the threat of being arrested,” said Mr Michael Owino-a former fisherman.
Mr Owino said he was forced to switch to boda boda business in Usenge sub-county because of harassment by Ugandan officials in the lake.
